Shirt reinforcing member



March 14, 1961 F. o. BOEHMER 2,974,837

SHIRT REINFORCING MEMBER Filed Nov. 25, 1959 INVENTUR FLOYD O. BOEHMER WWW SHIRT REINFORCING MEMBER Floyd 0. Boehmer, Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, assignor to A. & C. Boehmer Limited, Kitchener, Ontario, Canada Filed Nov. .23, 1959, Ser. No. 854,835

9 Claims. (Cl. 223-71) This invention relates to a shirt reinforcing member or insert to be used in the packaging of shirts or similar wearing apparel.

In the packaging art it is an extremely well known practice, if not universal, to incorporate in a shirt package a reinforcing member which gives the package a flattened form suitable for storage purposes and as well for preserving the appearance for merchandising purposes. Such reinforcing members usually comprise relatively thin sheets of cardboard material which have a measure of rigidity. Experience has shown, however, that over a period of time cardboard sheets have a tendency to curl and distort, which spoils the appearance of the package. Also, it is frequently desirable to place the packaged shirt on its edge for display purposes. Such cardboard sheets do not have suflicient rigidity to resist bending over a period of time and, consequently, the appearance will be alfected.

It is, therefore, the principal object of this invention to provide a shirt reinforcing member which will have inherent rigidity suflicient to maintain a shirt package in its flattened state for all purposes.

Another important object is to provide a shirt reinforcing member which can be manufactured at low cost.

Still another object is to provide a shirt reinforcing member which can be adapted for use with conventional packaging equipment.

The principal feature of this invention resides in providing a shirt reinforcing member in the form of a relatively stiff sheet, preferably cardboard, the sheet having inscribed therein a pair of elongated flap formations arranged longitudinally of the sheet and hinged thereto to fold inwardly of the sheet to lie in preferably overlying relation to one another. This structure provides a central longitudinally extending rib formation giving to the reinforcing member increased resistance to curling or folding in the circumstances outlined.

Another important feature of this invention resides in utilizing the shirt or wearing apparel to be wrapped around the reinforcing member as a means for holding the flaps in their folded relation, which obviates the necessity of providing connecting tabs or adhesive to secure the flaps in their folded disposition.

These and other objects and features will be found in the following specification to be read in conjunction with the sheet of drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a shirt reinforcing member constructed in acwrdance with the invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the member illustrated in Figure 1 with the integral flaps thereof in partially folded relation;

Figure 3 is an enlarged edge view in transverse cross section and partly broken away of the member of Figures 1 and 2 with the flap portions folded into overlying relation; whereas Figure 4 is a view of the underside of a shirt package United States Patent "ice 2 with the reinforcing member of Figure 1 incorporated therein.

With reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, a preferred embodiment of the shirt reinforcing member is illustrated at 10, the member 10 having the form of a planar sheet of material, preferably stiff cardboard, and having a generally rectangular shape. As an article of manufacture, the dimensions of the sheet are approximately nine inches in width and twelve inches in length.

At the upper edge of the member 10 a projection or flap 11 is appended and scored with a fold line 12, which projection is adapted to be utilized in securing the collar portion of a shirt or similar article of apparel to the member 10 in the packaging operation.

An integral tab 13 is provided and may be used to secure and locate a collar band to support a shirt collar portion in conjunction with flap 11. This is not illustrated.

Inscribed in the main body portion of the member 10 are elongated flap portions 14 and 15 which are arranged substantially perpendicularly to the collar-engaging edge portion 16 of the member 10 and inwardly of the side edges 17 and 18.

The flap portions 14 and 15 have a generally wingshaped or trapezoidal configuration, the ends 19, 20, 21 and 22, respectively, being rounded oif. The flaps 14 and 15 are hinged preferably by scorings or perforations which delineate the shorter edges 23 and 24, indicated in broken lines. The remaining perimeters of the flap portions 14 and 15 are substantially completely severed from the sheet so that they are free for folding movement about hinged edges 23 and 24.

The wing shape or generally trapezoidal shape of the flap portions is preferred because it makes the folding of the flap portions relatively easy. By having a short edge of attachment, it requires only slight pressure on the flaps to cause them to move out of the plane of the sheet. The progressive rounding-off of the ends, in addition, assists in defining the fold axis, and also, the flaps are less apt to catch when moved out of the plane of the sheet. This structure increases efliciency of the packaging operation, whether by hand or by machine.

The aforementioned attributes do not detract from the main purpose of the flaps, which is to provide a central longitudinally extending reinforcement or n'h formation of maximum extent which is to be achieved by first folding the flaps 14 and 15 out of the plane of the sheet, as illustrated in Figure 2, throughout substantially into overlying relation, as illustrated in Figure 3.

-As an article of manufacture, the maximum length of the flaps are approximately six inches and the Width, 2 inches, that portion of the sheet 25 extending between the flap portions 14 and 15 having a transverse dimension of approximately three inches.

It will be readily appreciated that in order to have the flaps fold into overlying relation, that portion of the sheet designated at 25 must have a minimum width equal at least to the transverse extent of one of the flap portions 14 and 15.

It is also readily apparent that it is desirable to have the overlapped flap portions lie on the median bisecting the sheet 19 longitudinally to provide maximum longitudinal reinforcement centrally. The reinforced central section indicated at 15 is constituted by three thicknesses which provide sufl'icient rigidity for the cardboard memher in all circumstances in which it is to be used. Also, as will be appreciated from Figures 1 and 2, the flaps 14 and 15 lie within the lower two-thirds of the sheet, which portion is subjected to stress, especially when the package is mounted upon its lower edge for display purposes.

In the manufacture of such articles, the members 10 are stamped out of a continuous sheet of cardboard by a suitable die in succession, the serrated edge portions 26 and 27 constituting a joining edge formation for adjacent members or sheets.

In the packaging of a shirt 28 or like article, the reinforcing member is enclosed within folded portions 29 thereof, such portions 29 overlying the flaps which have been folded either by hand or by a suitable mechanism into overlying relation. The shirt 28 is preferably secured tightly against the member 10 by means of a suitable wrapperof transparent film or a band of material. In the arrangement illustrated a band 39 holds the flaps 14 and in overlying relation, obviating the necessity for having interlocking tabs or adhesive to maintain the flaps in overlying fiatwise relation.

Another feature to be found in such construction is that the integral flaps, when folded, leave openings 31 and 32, which openings enable the prospective purchaser to feel the quality of the goods. Ordinarily, the reinforcing member is imperforate and one is unable to'readily feel the texture of the garment.

It will be appreciated that although the preferred embodiment of the invention has been described and illustrated, variations and modifications may be made in the reinforcing member without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

l. A shirt reinforcing member comprising a sheet having an upper collar engaging edge portion, side edges and a bottom edge, a pair of spaced integral elongated flap portions arranged substantially perpendicularly to the collar engaging edge portion and inwardly of the side edges, the flap portions having a separation throughout their longitudinal extent equal to at least the transverse extent of one of said flap portions, and said flap portions each having a hinge formation along their adjacent longitudinal edges.

2. A shirt reinforcing member comprising a sheet having an upper collar engaging edge portion, side edges and a bottom edge, a pair of spaced integral elongated flap portions arranged substantially perpendicularly to the collar engaging edge portion and inwardly of the side edges, the flap portions each having a hinge formation along their adjacent longitudinal edges, said flap portions having transverse dimensions and a spacing therebetween arranged, when folded about their hinge formations, to lie in overlying relation with each other.

3. A shirt reinforcing member according to claim 2 in which the flap portions have a like perimetral extent 4 and lie on opposite sides of a median line bisecting. the sheet.

4. A shirt reinforcing member according to claim 3 in which the flap portions have a generally trapezoidal configuration with the base of the trapezoid arranged at the side edge of the sheet.

5. A shirt reinforcing member according to claim 4 in which the ends of the flap portions have a rounded off configuration.

6. A shirt reinforcing member according to claim 2 in which said sheet has a generally rectangular configuration with the collar engaging edge portion at one of the shorter sides, the flap portions having a longitudinal dimension lying Within the lower two thirds of the sheet.

7. A shirt reinforcing member according to claim 6 in which said sheet has an approximate width dimension of nine inches and length dimension of twelve inches, and the flap portions have an approximate transverse dimension of two inches and length dimension of six inches, said flap portions being separated by a strip portion having an approximate width dimension of three inches.

8. A shirt reinforcing member comprising a generally rectangular sheet, a pair of spaced integral elongated flap portions arranged substantially parallel to and inwardly of the longer sides of the rectangular sheet, the flap portions having a like perimetral extent and lying on opposite sides of a median line bisecting the rectangular sheet longitudinally, each of said flap portions having a hinge formation along their adjacent longitudinal edges and a spacing therebetween arranged when folded about their hinge formations to lie in overlying relation with each other.

9. A shirt reinforcing member comprising a generally rectangular sheet, a pair of spaced integral elongated flap portions arranged substantially parallel to and inwardly of the longer sides of the rectangular sheet, the flap portions having a like perimetral extent of a generally trapezoidal outline with the bases of the trapezoidal flap portions arranged at the longer sides of the rectangular sheet, the flap portions lying on opposite sides of a median line bisecting the sheet, each of said flap portions having a hinge formation along their adjacent edges and a spacing therebetween arranged when folded about their hinge formations to lie in overlying relation with each other. 7

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,147,576 Harpman Feb. 14, 1939 

